


Cold Feet

by pickleplum



Series: Ancient History [7]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Angst, Baby Names, Cold Feet, F/M, Family Feels, Family History, Female Friendship, Fluff and Angst, Hansen Family Feels, Meddling, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood, Pregnancy, Shotgun Wedding, Unplanned Pregnancy, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 00:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7595872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angela faces some of her doubts about her impending marriage to Herc Hansen at the last fitting for her wedding dress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Feet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tielan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/gifts).
  * Inspired by [We Both Know How This Ends](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/216724) by tielan. 



> 18 March 2003  
> Medowie, Australia

\- Kirstie takes the wheel for a spin (13/05/17, Panama) -

Belle folds in half, addresses Angie's stomach, "What do you think, Josh? Doesn't your mummy look **gorgeous**?"

Angie swats at her, nearly tipping off the footstool. "His name **won't** be Josh," she declares, finding her balance.

"Then what **will** it be, hmm?"

"Don't know yet."

"What about the dress?" prompts Lil. "How's the fit?"

Angie picks at a seam. "It's a little snug? Across the—" Gestures to her middle.

"Stop growing so fast, Tommy!"

"Not that, either."

Lil rolls her eyes, jots a note for the seamstress.

"Billy?"

"Oh hell no!"

"Is the tummy the only problem, Ange?"

"Uh, now that you mention it, it's getting tight across the chest, too."

Belle snickers.

Angie scowls.

Lil makes another note.

"I wish Mum would've let me pick my own dress. Wouldn't have to do this fitting crap."

"If she had, she wouldn't be your mum."

Lil snorts.

Angie sighs.

"Yea, leave it to Elisabeth Martijn to arrange the hugest clusterfuck of a wedding this side of royalty for her beloved daughter and little Benji," drawls Belle.

Angie's laugh twists into a sob.

"Oh dear." Lil takes her hand, guides her down and into to a chair.

Belle drapes something expendable between the dress and the tears while Lil presses a wad of tissues into her hand.

Angie blows her nose with a _honk_.

"It's okay, sweetheart," coos Lil.

"I'm an idiot. And a waterfall."

"You're pregnant."

"I should've just gone to the doctor and taken care of it; I mean, that would've been the smart thing to do. I should never have told Herc. I should've known he'd ...."

"He wouldn't be Herc if he didn't offer to do the 'honourable' thing. It's part of why you like him," Belle points out.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Lil trades gross tissues for fresh ones. "If you want to back out, back out. There're lots of options these days—"

"But—my mum—"

"It's not her place to pick your husband."

"But she won't help **at** **all** if we don't ...." Angie dabs at her eyes.

"If you really don't want to marry him, call it off. Your mum will surely get over her issues by the time the baby comes."

Angie shakes her head, starts tearing tissues into confetti.

"Have you **met** her mum?"

"Annabelle ...."

Belle sighs, hands over some intact tissue. "Have you talked your cold feet over with him?"

"Yes. Sort of. No. I mean, we both know how this could go wrong. Neither of us had happy families growing up." Wipes her nose.

"There's no rule that says you have to repeat your parents' mistakes."

"Yea, we get to make our own." Runs a hand over the baby bump slowly taking over her lap.

"It won't be easy, but your family will be as happy as you're willing to work to make it."

"No fate but what we make for ourselves," mutters Angie.

"You could just, you know, live in sin," Belle mock-whispers, "but don't tell Helen or Bets I said that."

Angie snorts with laughter. Then her mobile sings and she hiccups and fumbles—

Belle nabs it from Angie's purse, passes it over.

"Oh, fuck—it's him. Sorry. I didn't—uh ... what do I say?"

"'Hi' usually works," says Lil, patting Angie's knee and standing.

Angie takes a deep breath and accepts the call. "Hey, Herc."

""Hey. I was ju—are you okay?""

"I'm fine. I'm just—hormones," she sighs.

""Oh."" A beat. ""Right.""

She can **hear** him blush and smiles.

""If you—I mean, I can come down and—but if you'd—""

"I'd love for you to come get me."

""Oh, cool, cool. Address?""

"Valerie's. On the strip?"

""Gotcha. I'll be there in fifteen.""

"Thanks." Angie wipes her eyes again.

""Sure. Love you.""

Angie melts a little. "Ditto."

The call disconnects and Angie drops the mobile in the neighbourhood of her bag.

"Well, he's not quite Patrick Swayze," says Belle, "but then you're no Demi Moore, either."

Angie huffs.

Belle slides an arm around her shoulder and hugs. "If you want out, we're here. If you want to do this, we're here. Right, Mum?"

"Right," assures Lil.

"And, you know, you never know about the future. You might end up with seven anklebiters. That sing. Like the Von Trapps."

"Their mother died and their dad married the nanny."

"I'm pretty sure that's _The Nanny_."

"Can you see Herc marrying Fran Fine?" laughs Lil. "Seriously? Pick a better example."

"Don't know any."

"What? All that TV and that's the best you can do?" teases Angie.

Belle rolls her eyes, but she's laughing, too.

Angie winces.

"You okay?"

"He kicked me!"

Belle sparkles—"Lemme feel!"—presses a palm to Angie's side.

Nothing.

"C'mon, Danny, kick Auntie Belle."

"His name isn't gonna be—"

_Jab!_

Angie hisses.

"I felt it! Good job, Nicky!"

"I'm **not** naming him that!"

"Then at least tell me something that's in the running!"

"No."

Pre-baby rolls over, stretches—elbows her bladder.

Angie heaves herself to her feet.

"What's—"

"Charlie moved! Gotta pee!" Angie tosses over her shoulder as she flees to the washroom.

"Wait for me! I gotta help!" calls Belle, flying in pursuit.

**Author's Note:**

> Photo by [andy carter](https://www.flickr.com/photos/salsaboy/) [[CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)] via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/salsaboy/3497397107/in/photostream/).
> 
> Beta'd by my favorite partner-in-crime, artificiallifecreator.
> 
> I've loved the original ficlet by tielan for a long time and really hope I haven't mangled it too badly to fit my silly little universe.


End file.
